THE CHEF: DAVID CHANG; A Fresh Start Leads to a New Way of Cooking

TO listen to David Chang, you might think he is an utter failure. Mr. Chang, a 28-year-old Korean-American, talks about his difficulties before, during and after college; of watching friends get rich in the dot-com boom while he was bussing tables; and of walking around "with a chip on my shoulder" because "other guys could cook circles around me." And finally, of becoming disenchanted with the behind-the-scenes world of fine dining.

He is a young man the size of a small football player who takes up even more room with his mixture of energy, passion, joy and anger.

But an outsider hearing his story can see steady progress, progress that has resulted in Momofuku Noodle Bar, his unusual restaurant on First Avenue in the East Village. It draws near-constant crowds and even the limo set, despite the fact that it is far from luxurious and takes no reservations, making longish waits routine.

Mr. Chang was born in northern Virginia, where his father worked in the restaurant industry, eventually opening a restaurant. Both his mother and grandmother were "great" cooks, he said. His grandfather, now 96, speaks Japanese and taught Mr. Chang to appreciate Japanese food as well as Korean.

His family hoped that Mr. Chang would go into law or finance, but he studied religion in college and graduated with no particular goal. In his early 20's, he lived in London, taught English in Japan and had a variety of jobs in New York, from bussing tables to working in the finance industry. "That taught me I could never sit at a darned desk," he said, using a slightly stronger adjective. Finally, he enrolled in culinary school, another venture about which he has little positive to say.

Yet clearly present in this cheerfully intense young man was enough energy to begin a small hurricane. He took a job at Mercer Kitchen, then talked his way into the kitchen at Craft after agreeing to spend a month answering phones. Two years later he returned to Japan to work at a small soba shop for a chef who, after four months, told him he no longer had anything to learn.

Then followed a stint at the kaiseki restaurant in the Tokyo Park Hyatt and a year at Café Boulud, under Andrew Carmellini. Though Mr. Chang calls Mr. Carmellini "one of the best chefs in America," he became "completely dissatisfied with the whole fine dining scene" and its pretentiousness, and decided to strike out on his own.

Which brings us to 2004 and the opening of Momofuku, accomplished with less than $250,000. The success of a place of roughly 300 square feet (including the kitchen) with cheap-stool counter seating for 30 was far from guaranteed. "There was a time, about six months after we opened, when we were about to go out of business," Mr. Chang said.

With his co-chef, Joaquin Baca, he prepared pickles, noodles, pork buns and little else. But when things began to look bad, Mr. Chang said, the two decided, "Look, if we're going to go out of business, let's do what we want to do." They added pork and shellfish dishes to the menu, began to feature Mr. Baca's Southwest influence (a popular shrimp and grits dish is his) and began cooking increasingly with fresh vegetables.

As the tide began to turn, thanks to good decision making, luck, perseverance or most likely a combination of all three, Mr. Chang added complicated dishes that were based on his background but influenced by his training. The pickles, for example, an integral part of many Japanese and Korean meals, became increasingly varied: the restaurant now serves 8 or 10 different types at any given time. A bowl of pickles at Momofuku is a mosaic of bright colors and has a gorgeous range of flavors and textures.

"We use five or six different pickling methods, from a simple brine to a full-blown kimchi," he said. The simple brine here features Asian pears. His kimchi method produces a super-flavorful result that has the distinct advantage of being delicious the instant it is done.

He also added far more substantial dishes, including slow-cooked ones that integrate Korean and French flavors and techniques, like the slow-cooked short ribs here, a traditional dish that Mr. Chang finishes with buttery potatoes and carrots.

An error has occurred. Please try again later.

You are already subscribed to this email.

2. Put corn or grapeseed oil in a large ovenproof braising pan or skillet over medium-high heat and add ribs, seasoning them liberally with salt and pepper. Brown well on one side, moving them around to promote even browning. Turn, add onions and half the carrots, and brown other side, stirring vegetables occasionally.

3. Carefully pour braising liquid over meat and bake, bone-side up and submerged in liquid (add water or juice if necessary), for 3 to 4 hours, until meat falls from bones. Cool ribs in liquid for 1 hour, then remove; strain liquid. At this point, ribs and liquid can be covered and refrigerated overnight.

4. Remove bones from ribs. In a pot, combine meat with braising liquid; heat to a boil then simmer, reducing liquid until syrupy. If it seems too thick, thin with a bit of water.

5. About 1/2 hour before you are ready to serve, put butter in a skillet and add potatoes and remaining carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally and seasoning with salt and pepper, until browned and nearly tender, about 20 minutes. Add to meat. Taste mixture and adjust seasonings if necessary, then garnish with scallions and serve on rice.

Peel fruit or vegetables and cut into thick slices. In a bowl, combine vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper with a cup or so of water; add fruit or vegetables. Add water to cover. Taste; pickle should be sweet, sour and salty. Add more sugar, vinegar or salt if necessary. Eat right away or refrigerate for up to 2 days.

1. If using fresh shiitakes, remove stems, slice caps and sauté or roast with a little oil until tender. If using dried shiitakes, reconstitute by steeping in boiling water until tender; drain, remove stems and slice caps.